Asian carp/Kentucky lake

[Moveon]

I just got back from Kentucky lake for the fourth trip this year. Each time I've noticed the number of asian carp have gotten larger and larger. It's not just a few it's hundreds of them at a time. I haven't heard nothing from the department of fish and wildlife about correcting this matter other then carp tournament. Fellas that's not going to do it. I don't know if there's anything that can be done. I do know that unless something is done one of the finest fisheries in United States will be ruined it in the next few years. What are your thoughts about this.

The lakes I fish are connected to the Ohio River as is KY lake hydrologically. I'm not really sure we can get rid of these Asian Carp unless some Crazy Scientist can use his DNA manipulation knowledge to develop a virus that only kills Asian carp and not any thing else. And the probability of that happening is very low.

Carp tournaments is not going to remove them for our waters.

They are here to stay IMHO. We may need to fish using Armored Boats with bullet proof glass on the front to keep the carp from hitting the driver and his passengers in the face with a 30 lb jumping carp.

These fish are going to outcompete every other fish in these waters that get into. Including KY and Barkley Lakes as well as the Great Lakes if they get there.

I think about getting a shot gun and practicing shooting jumping carp on the water as a new sport. Just don't shoot any one else in the process. Not really going to happen as that's not practical or safe to do but it's fun to dream about doing something like that.

I know that many people use bows and arrows to shoot the carp but that's not going to totally eliminate them from the waters.

Maybe dumping something into the waters that sterilizes them and nothing else. some type of Asian Carp Hormones that are specific to Asian Carp only?

I just hope that someone figures out a way to get rid of them permanently. The people who brought them to the USA should be drawn and quarters IMHO. That was a huge mistake. And they should have known better. This kind or reminds me of Jurassic Park in a way. At least they can't walk on land and are restricted to the water.

[mcahill]

I have some friends that go bow fishing a couple times a week and there bringing in easily over a hundred pounds each trip no problem. I was with him a while back after he got back and we were talking and i got the bright idea to cut one up with a hatchet because trying to use a knife is a no go with there big armored scales. so i cut cubes and ended up using them as cut bait for cats and caught some considerable blues and channels so i know there good for that. we have to try to find the good in this i feel like to find a way to get rid of them. If you go on YouTube and look them up there is a plant in Western, Ky that is processing these fish and sending them over sea's to China. The Asians like the carp from us more due to the size and the taste something about they can only raise farm raised carp over there because there rivers are to polluted, so thats why these are so sought after. I think if they would offer 2 dollars a carp or something like that people would be more apt to go out and take there time to hunt these things.

Mitch

[crappiepappy]

I think if they would offer 2 dollars a carp or something like that people would be more apt to go out and take there time to hunt these things.

Mitch

Mitch, as I understand it ...

The commercial fishing guys are quoting a price range of 15 - 25 cents a pound, to make it feasible for them to stay in business & supply the processing plants with these carp. With some of these carp reaching 100lbs .... 2 bucks a fish ain't gonna get it.
I've also read where some commercial fishermen are having to replace their nets every 18 days of use, due to the damage caused by the carp. I'm sure those nets don't come cheap, either.

This article is over 3yrs old, but it's still a good read : http://www.freep.com/article/2011072...d-who-will-eat

... pappy

[Fishin is life]

Somebody asked if any fisheries have been devastated by the carp. I read where a guy on bbc from illinois said it used to take 16-20lbs of smallies to win a 5 fish tourny on his local river, now theyve dropped down to 1 or 3 fish limit tournies and often if a guy brings in a keeper, he wins. So do they have negative impacts on fisheries, absolutely. Itll likely take a lot longer for the effects to be felt on a body of water the size of KY/Barkley, but it will happen. Its a shame they cant figure out what caused the bubbling on the gills that caused the carp to go belly up below the dam. These carp seem to favor shallow water, so how long until the bait and gamefish start wandering around out in the channel more than they already do.

[mcahill]

I wasnt aware that they were taking carp from fisherman who are killing them as sport, I was under the assumption that there only being harvested threw nets and if people kill them with bows there expected to trash them. If someone gave me a some money to go out and catch and or bow fish these carp i would do it.. I dont think it would help me financially but it would be fun and a way to make a couple bucks. I know the carps skin are being used now to make purses and wallets and other things like that also. I personally have only seen a couple when im out fishing on the boat. I usually go to Stevens Port or i fish right by the McAlpine Dams by Silver Creek and have only seen a couple jumping but i imagine there out there some where.

[mhall]

Nice read Dave Stewart and echo's everything I have heard through the breezes. It is very sad to watch. I wish they could figure out why those ones died like Steven said so we could kill them all.

[redearhoosier]

I caught one that weighed 15lbs below the KY Lake Dam on 5lb braided line. It hit a little crappie jig. I see them all the time at Barkley when I'm chasing shellcrackers.

[riverrat12]

I wasnt aware that they were taking carp from fisherman who are killing them as sport, I was under the assumption that there only being harvested threw nets and if people kill them with bows there expected to trash them. If someone gave me a some money to go out and catch and or bow fish these carp i would do it.. I dont think it would help me financially but it would be fun and a way to make a couple bucks. I know the carps skin are being used now to make purses and wallets and other things like that also. I personally have only seen a couple when im out fishing on the boat. I usually go to Stevens Port or i fish right by the McAlpine Dams by Silver Creek and have only seen a couple jumping but i imagine there out there some where.

There out there. Pretty much right there. Had three land in my boat at three different times last year. This one I snagged while drifting. Chuck

[Lowerider]

Big business isn't dumb. It takes millions in start up capital to build a large cannery. If too many start up at one time and demand skyrockets we'll have more commercial fisherman. When more are taken out than what's naturally replenished each year the fishery becomes unsustainable (just ask the catfisherman). That's bad for business. Point is creating this industry will only guarantee these fish will be here for decades to come. The words "sustainable fishery" have already been used several times by our own KDFWR.

I think it will take a scientific break-through. There's a reason 100's of thousands went belly up below the dam earlier this year and nothing else did. I'm not buying the "we don't know why BS"

[mhall]

Big business isn't dumb. It takes millions in start up capital to build a large cannery. If too many start up at one time and demand skyrockets we'll have more commercial fisherman. When more are taken out than what's naturally replenished each year the fishery becomes unsustainable (just ask the catfisherman). That's bad for business. Point is creating this industry will only guarantee these fish will be here for decades to come. The words "sustainable fishery" have already been used several times by our own KDFWR.

I think it will take a scientific break-through. There's a reason 100's of thousands went belly up below the dam earlier this year and nothing else did. I'm not buying the "we don't know why BS"

Interesing take, made me think.....

[GeoFisher]

I think it will take a scientific break-through. There's a reason 100's of thousands went belly up below the dam earlier this year and nothing else did. I'm not buying the "we don't know why BS"

Hm........

we cannot cure ebola,
we cannot cure cancer,
we cannot cure MS,
we cannot cure AIDS,
we cannot........


What makes you think we can identify what killed these fish and successfully replicate it........of course maybe you think we CAN cure the above and big pharma is keeping that from happening.......but hey that is a whole other discussion

No, I'm not buying the "thought" that the gubment would actually like these evil ******* fish to be here.

Later,

Geo

[jcb]

Big business isn't dumb. It takes millions in start up capital to build a large cannery. If too many start up at one time and demand skyrockets we'll have more commercial fisherman. When more are taken out than what's naturally replenished each year the fishery becomes unsustainable (just ask the catfisherman). That's bad for business. Point is creating this industry will only guarantee these fish will be here for decades to come. The words "sustainable fishery" have already been used several times by our own KDFWR.

I think it will take a scientific break-through. There's a reason 100's of thousands went belly up below the dam earlier this year and nothing else did. I'm not buying the "we don't know why BS"

It's not BS. They really don't know why. Why in the world would KDFWR want to lie about that?